Around lunch, we finally threw the lines and gently
planed out of Longyearfjord. A morning filled with activities was already
behind us. The day started out with a guided bus trip around Longyearbyen. This
vibrant community is growing fast and counts more than 2000 heads today. For a
long time, it was a coal mine, but in recent years it changed to a university
town and hub for all kinds of Arctic activities. On board, everybody moved into
his and her cabin, got an expedition jacket and took part in the emergency exercise
that has to be carried out at the beginning of every ship cruise.
Next stop: Barentsburg, barely a two hours
cruise away from Longyearbyen. Even though we did not leave Norwegian
territory, we felt like having arrived to Russia. The small town is inhabited
by Russian and Ukrainian miners. On a walk along the main road, our Russian
guide gave us an introduction to the history of this settlement and told us
about the life of miners today. Currently the small town is thoroughly renovated.
Many of the living houses, the cultural center and the sports hall are under
re-construction. Last year, they even started a small brewery! The local brand
is called "Red bear". It is a rather light beer, and very tasty as we
convinced ourselves at the local bar. The Russian experience was rounded off by
a folklore show, with original Russian songs and dances. We listened to
evergreens like "Kalinka" and own compositions like “Welcome to
Svalbard. We are from Russia”.
